


Cathode Ray Tubes

by ereshai



Series: Various Prompt Fills [13]
Category: Welcome to Night Vale
Genre: Comment Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-06
Updated: 2014-02-06
Packaged: 2018-01-11 10:06:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 520
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1171783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ereshai/pseuds/ereshai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cecil's obsession with Carlos is mostly endearing...until it's not.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cathode Ray Tubes

"Oh, Carlos. Beautiful Carlos," Cecil's voice crooned through the radio. "I don't want to bore you, listeners, so I won't go into details, but let me tell you, you haven't seen perfection until you've seen what certain scientists keep in their lab coats. Let's just say, I'll never look at a cathode ray tube the same way again."  
  
Carlos blushed. He hadn't thought Cecil was that interested in his impromptu lesson on the history of television, especially since the Sheriff's Secret Police had confiscated everything with a screen last month. (Educational programs were being projected into the sky at night; the ever-present cloud cover made an excellent backdrop for them.)  
  
"An update on Telly the Barber. He's back in business, folks, and he's offering a discount to anyone whose name isn't Carlos, and is not a scientist with perfect teeth and hair. You know, I'm glad Telly has seen the error of his ways. His time in the desert must have been very enlightening. Who knows what mysteries may be revealed to us, in the desert? What lost purpose will you find? What secrets may be uncovered? What selfish lies will wither and die in the light of the unforgiving, all-seeing, sun? I know what I'd like to be revealed to me! Where did I lose my sunglasses? I last saw them right around the time Telly took his sabbatical. Isn't that a coincidence? And now, the weather."  
  
Carlos tuned out the incomprehensible noise that followed Cecil's announcement. Some people claimed to hear music, others an actual weather report. One or two people had mentioned eldritch chanting, but he hadn't been able to find them again to get more details.   
  
"Listeners, I have a tough question. If you, in the course of your duties as a radio host, discovered something that...reflects negatively...on someone, and this someone is someone that you like, or maybe even love, yes, love is definitely on the table. Let's just say you discovered this someone has been deceiving you. That's right! Betraying you, and with your worst enemy! Who, for example, might be named something like Stan Clarksberg. What would you do, listeners, if you discovered that good old Stan knows just as much about cathode ray tubes as you do?"  
  
Carlos tugged at the ropes binding his wrists to the chair. They weren't any looser than they had been that morning. He eyed the odd, pod-like, organic growth in the corner. It was definitely bigger than it had been before his short nap. If he could just get a closer look, who knows what wonders he might discover. Hopefully, when Cecil returned, he would finally be ready to listen, and untie him. Poor Cecil, he'd been under a lot of stress lately. But everything would be cleared up soon.  
  
"That's all from me, listeners. I'm going to go home and get a good night's rest. Things will be much better in the morning. You might say everything will be brand new. Stay tuned for the sound of crickets chirping, as interpreted by the City Council, on violas. Good night, Night Vale. Good night."

**Author's Note:**

> Wow. So short. It seemed longer on LJ.  
> Written quickly, no beta, posted anyway.  
> You may now return to your regularly scheduled fic reading.


End file.
